Restoring Retro in Home and Dress

February 2018

02/21/2018

When I was a girl, my grandma ran a home business baking and decorating cakes. She was a real professional, turning out anything from a Sponge Bob birthday cake (hand drawn characters, looking off a picture for a guide) to elaborate tiered wedding cakes complete with bridges and waterfalls. One of our favorites was a train cake baked in molds and loaded with candy, though as I got older I would request "something with lots of roses" for my birthday, since her roses were always fought over! She set the standard for cake and icing taste and texture - I rarely (if ever) have eaten even homemade cake as good as ones made from her recipes, and any other icing seems tasteless or too soft. She has made too many birthday, anniversary, baby shower, and wedding cakes to count, making dozens each year for her extended family, besides the ones for customers!

Some of my favorite childhood memories were hours spent watching her at her kitchen table, effortlessly (or so it seemed) piping perfect shell borders and turning out roses like magic on a poised decorator's nail...something I still despair of learning to do. She would always let any watching grandchildren (or great-grandchildren now) play with and lick out the icing tips when she was done with them, and when we got old enough, she would let us help "paper towel" the cakes to get them ready for decorating, and put the centers on flowers, or maybe even leaves.

As I got older, I learned a bit more decorating skills and even helped her with a few of my cousins' wedding cakes, learning her exact science of how many batches of batter were needed for so many people, and how full to fill the pans and how to assemble tiers with their hidden support system. One of the highlights from my own wedding was the opportunity to help her assemble and decorate my wedding cake a few days before.

Last year, an idea for a crochet stitch pattern popped into my head, inspired by the way she frosted her biggest border shells. I swatched it, submitted it to Crochet World, and it was accepted. Now my Sugar Frosting Baby Blanket is printed in the spring special issue of Crochet World (purchase a copy here!).

Months after making the model, it was returned to me - so now my own little son can enjoy it. It's by far the most elaborate and time-consuming baby blanket I have designed, yet it was worth it and I really enjoyed working on it. Some beautiful things take time. Like making an heirloom.

I also have several other designs in current magazine issues, including the Marrakech Top for those of you who like more of a boho style. That one is in Crochet!'s spring special issue called "Boutique-Style Crochet" - find a copy here.

As a designer, I never know what will inspire an idea. But since that same grandma taught me to crochet my first stitch when I was 6 years old, I feel that this baby blanket is a small but fitting tribute to a talented and admirable woman.

02/15/2018

While my sewing this year has so far been on the back burner, I did get this dress made in January. I intended to take outdoor photos as usual, but the day was so soggy and gray and muddy that I had to settle for snapping indoor photos this time.

The pattern I wanted to use was missing the bodice front piece, so after being disappointed for a few minutes, I looked through my pattern collection to find one with a similar neckline. I found one that was pretty close and had a front seam (thankfully so did the skirt), so I used the bodice from that pattern and the skirt from the first and made it zip front instead of button.

Because of making it close on the front, I had to ignore a lot of the construction order and do the front seam and neck finishing last, which felt strange.

It has a slim skirt with a faux peplum sewn into the front at the waist, and the bodice fits well but has plenty of room. I really like how this dress fits. It seems like I finally hit on the right combination for my post-pregnancy size! The only thing I would change next time is making the shoulders a tad narrower and the sleeves a bit more snug.

The fabric is a rayon/poly blend. It is a much happier blend than the housedress I made last year - it feels nice like rayon, but can be washed warm and hardly wrinkles. I wish I had gotten more of it, and may try to squeeze an everyday blouse out of the scraps.

After sewing the facing, I decided on a whim that instead of trying to tack down the facing so it wouldn't show, I would do a bit of embroidery to keep it in place as well as add some trim. So I did a bit of freehand neck decoration, which also helps the zipper tab look like it's supposed to be there, and was quite pleased with the results. I should add hand work more often - it didn't add that much more time!

It was a pretty quick project, despite one rip-out-and-repair moment when I realized I had sewed one side of the peplum into the waist backwards.

Black is the obvious color to accessorize this plaid with, but it goes with blue surprisingly well. I blended the 2 by wearing my bachelor's button bonnet, which is black with blue flowers. It remains one of my favorite hats!

But when I went for a black belt, I was astonished to find I really had no black belts I could wear with it - hardly any black belts at all. Definitely a wardrobe gap I need to remedy. I ended up using a black fabric sash I had made just so I had something the right color.

And since my wiggle worm of a little son was all gussied up in a fancy outfit that coordinated with mine, I had to snap some photos with him. :-)

I did whittle down my mending pile quite a bit, as well as catch up with some other things, so I'm ready to be back at the machine for my next sewing project. Meanwhile at least I'm pleased with the one thing I've sewn so far this year!

02/08/2018

This week's fashion post is a little different. Several of you readers have expressed interest in the past about what I actually wear for everyday, with its demands of comfort for working and range of motion.

While I do wear my house dresses for everyday (this one is still a favorite, and this one and this one were in constant rotation when they still fit me), I often resort to skirts and blouses for everyday and save the more elaborate vintage outfits for Sundays and dressier occasions. I have a few favorite comfortable me-made cotton blouses that I wear, but especially for chilly weather, I prefer to layer thrifted knit pieces. 3/4 sleeves sweaters are a favorite.

Here's an example of a real life everyday outfit that is perfectly comfortable and practical. I didn't make a single thing I'm wearing and all of it is modern - but it still works well with my vintage aesthetic.

The sweater is sailor style and a classic shape that works well for 1940s, which is the overall look of the outfit.

The just-past-the-knee pleated plaid skirt is another classic. Of course it's a poly knit so it's not costume accurate, but it fits well with my general style and can take a lot of wear and tear. For everyday I don't usually try to look picture-perfect from any particular decade, but I might have a general theme.

I picked up the nautical theme by accenting with blue and red vintage button jewelry from Timeless Trinkets. Scarves also work well with a sweater and sleeveless top like this and add a bit more warmth if needed.

I rarely wear shoes in the house, but if I do, my Remix 1940s repro wedges are perfect for everyday wear, being comfortable and yet display that fabulous vintage detail that makes my heart happy.

In this outfit I am perfectly comfortable to do my normal daily routine, plus it's easy to nurse in and I don't have to worry about especially being careful with it. Yet at the same time, it's nice enough to wear out of the house if necessary, and remains true to my style.

After all, one reason I love vintage fashion is because it's practical and feminine and versatile all at the same time. Busy moms can dress nicely in real life now as well as then. :-)

02/01/2018

This jacket has long been a favorite of mine for fall and winter. I picked it up years ago at a thrift store for a few dollars, but honestly, I've had it so long I've forgotten where I got it. But this year when I pulled it out, I took a closer look and realized it's actually so close to 1930s styling!

The material is a brown tweed with tiny blue and red flecks in it. It has a vent pleat at the back, top stitched, notched collar and pockets in the front, and marcasite lookalike buttons. All perfect 1930s elements!

It hits just past the hips with rounded lapels - again, the right length for the decade.

I paired it with my favorite rayon 1930s skirt (which gets a ton of wear since it fits me again!), brown and white spectator Peggy pumps, and vintage 1930s hat. I wasn't sure how to fill the neckline since I didn't have an undershirt of the right style, so I borrowed an idea from the vintage styling of the period and used a crossed scarf.

So while this jacket is modern, the tweed fabric, styling, and buttons all combine to make it an ideal addition to my 1930s wardrobe. I wonder if the designer was inspired by 1930s fashion, or if it was a lucky accident?

Either way, it's a great reminder that if you like vintage fashion, you can find modern-made items that are just the right style, if you look at them with new eyes while shopping - or as in my case, after years in your closet! :-)